Door lock



J. H. ROETHEL May 7, 1957 DOOR LOCK Filed May 27, 1953 IN VEN TOR. J/y/v l7. PoET/IEL BY rro/e/vsy DOOR LOCK John H. Roethel, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 27, 1953, Serial No. 357,760

6 Claims. (Cl. 292-479) This invention relates to a latch control mechanism for swinging doors, particularly the doors of automobile or other vehicle bodies, an object of this invention being to provide an improved door latch mechanism which is characterized by its simplicity and compactness in construction and which is economical to manufacture, comparatively quiet in operation and efficient in use.

The improved door latch mechanism of the present invention comprises a rotary latch device, detent means for holding the latch device in latching position, detent release lever means for disengaging the detent means from the latch device, and a pivoted member or lever having blocking means which may be positioned in blocking relation to a blocking portion on the detent release lever to render the latter inoperative to effect disengagement of the detent means from the latch device.

More particularly the latch mechanism embodied in the present invention comprises a plate portion for disposition at the door jamb and having a flange extending from the inner edge thereof. A latch bolt having a series of toothlike projections extending around the periphery thereof is mounted on the plate portion. Secured to the latch bolt and rotatable therewith is a detent engaging latch device having a series of abutments corresponding to the toothlike abutments of the bolt. There is provided a detent means mounted for slidable up and down movement on the support and 'engageable with any one of the abutments for holding the bolt in latching position. An outer manually operable means is provided for slidably actuating said detent means to disengage the same from the latch device and includes a lever pivotally mounted on said plate portion, said lever having a part in opposing relation to a part of the detent means, said parts being separate to permit movement of the detent means independently of the lever. To prevent disengagement of the detent means there is provided an inner manually operable member pivotally mounted on the plate portion and having a blocking portion shiftable in one direction into position to block movement of said lever and thereby render the same inoperative to slidably actuate said detent means.

Other objects and features of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation illustrating the mechanism mounted on the case plate of a door latch mechanism constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially through line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially through line 33 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially through line 4-4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the relationship in latched position of the nited States Patent 6 rotary bolt of the latch mechanism to a striker or keeper device mounted on a body pillar.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various Ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the drawings there are illustrated, by way of example, certain embodiments of the present invention as applied to the door and frame structures of an automobile body.

The latch mechanism constructed in accordance with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive comprises a case plate 10 which is provided with screw bosses 10a which are adapted to receive screws for fastening the case plate to the inner side of the jamb portion or free edge wall of the vehicle door, the case plate 10 having a flange 11 which is adapted to be positioned along the inner panel of the door. The present latch mechanism is provided with a rotatable toothed latch or bolt 12 positioned at the outer face of the case plate it), this latch or bolt having an integral projecting stud shaft or pivot 13 extending through an aperture in the ease plate which is formed to receive a bearing 13a for stud shaft. The inner end of the stud shaft 13 is flattened and extended through a correspondingly shaped aperture in a rotatable toothed detent engaging member or ratchet member 14 and is riveted thereto. From the foregoing construction it will be seen that the toothed latch or bolt 12 is rigidly secured to the detent engaging member or ratchet member 14, being concentric therewith on the stud 13.

The rotatable latch or bolt 12 is formed with a number of radially projecting toothlike projections 120, such as five, which are spaced equally entirely around the periphery of the latch so as to provide in effect a gear type latch. The detent engaging member or ratchet 14 is formed around its periphery with a number of abutments or shoulders 16a which correspond in number to the number of toothlike projections 12a. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment the latch 12, has for example, five toothlike projections 12a and the detent engaging member M has five equally spaced detent engaging abutments or shoulders 14a.

Cooperable with the peripherally notched edge of the ratchet 14 is a detent, pawl or dog, generally designated 15. As illustrated, the detent 15 comprises a member mount-ed on the case plate 10 below the ratchet 14. The detent 15 is guided for slidable movement by spaced shoulder rivets 16 which project through elongated slots 17 in the detent, the rivets 16 being securely fastened to the case plate 10. The detent 15 is a longitudinally extending member and is provided with a number of pro- 'ections thereon which will hereinafter be identified and described. One of these projections is at the upper end of the detent 15. This projection 18 is engageable with any one of the teeth 14a in the manner shown in Fig. l to hold the ratchet member 14 and hence the bolt 12 in locking direction against rotation in a clockwise direction.

Associated with the detent is a vertically extending detent actuating or release lever, generally designated 19, which is pivoted intermediate its ends upon a shoulder rivet or stud 20. The release lever 1 is provided with three arms, a substantially horizontally extending arm 21, a substantially upwardly extending arm 22 and a substantially downwardly extending arm 23. The horizontally extending lever arm 21 overlies the detent 15 and is in abutting relation to an upturned projection or lug 24 lanced from the metal of the detent. By virtue of this construction the lever arm 21 and the detent 15 are so related that if the detent release lever 19 is swung about its pivotal axis in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l, the arm 21 will engage the lug 24 and thereby move the detent member 15 downwardly so that the projection 18 thereon will move out of the path of the ratchet abutments 14a and the ratchet 14 will be freely rotatable in a clockwise direction.

The upwardly extending lever arm 22 of the detent release lever 19 is formed with a flange 22a thereon. This lever arm 22 is adapted to be engaged on the outer side of the flange 22a by an outside manually operable means, such as a push button 25, for imparting the pivotal or swinging movement to the detent release lever 19 necessary to cause disengagement of the detent 15 from the ratchet 14.

The detent member 15 is yieldingly urged toward the ratchet 14 and the release lever 19 is similarly urged toward its normal position seen in Fig. l by means of a single coiled spring 26 anchored at its inner end to a kerf 27 formed from lugs lanced out of the surface of the case plate 10. This spring has a horizontally extending arm 26a engageable with a projection 28 extending laterally from the upper end of the detent 15. The spring 26 urges the detent member 15 upwardly at all times so as to yieldingly hold the detent projection 18 in latching engagement with a tooth 14a of the ratchet 14. Due to the abutting relationship of the detent member projection 24 and the detent release lever arm 21, the spring 26 will also function to urge the lever arm 21 in a clockwise direction about its pivotal axis 20. The lever arm 22 will thus be urged outwardly so as to be maintained in the normal non-operating position shown in Fig. 1. Thus, a single spring 26 is utilized to maintain the detent and release lever in their normal positions.

In accordance with the present embodiment means is provided for restraining or blocking the detent release lever 19 against operation from the outside of the door. The blocking means comprises a lever 29 pivoted intermediate its ends on a stud 30 secured to the case plate 10. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the pivot axis of the blocking lever 29 is located at the lower extremity of the case plate and the lever 29 extends in a substantially horizontal direction. At its outer end 29a, the right end as viewed in Fig. 1, the blocking lever is provided with a flange 2% which flange, when the blocking lever 29 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, lies in the path of swinging movement of the lower end or blocking portion 23a of the lever arm 23 of the detent release lever 19 and thereby blocks swinging movement of the lever 19 in a counterclockwise direction. Since it is necessary for the detent release lever 19 to swing in a counterclockwise direction in order that the abutment of the detent release lever arm 21 and the detent projection 24 result in movement of the detent projection 18 out of engagement with the ratchet 14, the relationship of the flange 29b to the end 23a of the release lever arm 21 as shown in Fig. 1 renders the outer manually operable means, such as the push button 25, inoperative to release the latch mechanism from the outside of the door and the door cannot be opened.

The present latch mechanism incorporates a remote control mechanism so constructed as to permit release or disengagement of the detent means independently of the release lever 19 and regardless of whether the latter is blocked against swinging movement through the medium of the blocking lever 29. This remote control mechanism is preferably manually actuated from the door remote from the case plate 10 by means of a door handle (not shown). Referring particularly to Fig. 3, the case plate flange 11 is provided with a bell crank lever 31 having a downwardly extending arm 32 adapted to be connected by any convenient linkage to the inside door handle. The bell crank lever has a horizontally extending arm 33 overlying at its outer end a laterally extending projection 34 on the detent 15. The bell crank lever 31 is pivotally mounted on the flange 11 by means of a pivot stud or shoulder rivet 35. Movement of the bell crank lever 31 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 will cause the arm 33 thereof to abut the detent projection 34 and move the detent 15 against the urging of the spring 26 thereby to disengage the detent projection 18 from the ratchet 14.

The detent projection 34 is also intended to abut a rubber bumper 36 carried on a lug 36a projecting from the case plate 10. The rubber bumper provides a cushion against which the detent 15 may abut when either the inner or outer actuators are released and also acts as an anti-rattle means.

In the present embodiment the blocking lever 29 may be shifted into or out of blocking position either from the inside or the outside of the door. As best viewed in Fig. 2, the flange 29b of the blocking lever 29 is provided with a square aperture 37 adapted to receive the eccentrically swingable pin member of a common form of key operated cylinder locking mechanism. Turning the key in the cylinder in either direction will result in the blocking lever being selectively positioned in either blocking or non-blocking position. I The blocking lever 29 is provided at the end opposite the flanged end with an aperture 38 adapted to pivotally receive the lower end of the conventional control rod which usually terminates at the upper end thereof in a push and pull button accessible at the inside of the glass in the vehicle door. It will be readily apparent that if a downward force is exerted on the end of the blocking lever 29 in the vicinity of the aperture 38, the end thereof carrying the flange 2912 will be swung upwardly into blocking position relative to the end 230 of the detent release lever arm 23. Conversely, if an upward force is exerted on the end of the blocking lever 29 in the vicinity of the aperture 38, the blocking flange 29b will be swung downwardly out of blocking position.

The case plate 10 is provided with a lug 39 providing a stop to limit clockwise swinging movement of the blocking lever 29. A toggle spring 40 is provided having one end seated in an aperture in the case plate 10 and its other end in an aperture in the blocking lever 29. The toggle spring 40 is provided to yieldingly urge and hold the blocking lever toward its upper and lower limits of movement.

The detent 15 is provided with one additional projection thereon'which as yet has not been described; As seen in Fig. l, the detent 15 is provided at the lower right hand corner thereof with an appendage or projection 41 which is utilized to swing the blocking lever 28 from detent release lever blocking position to non-blocking position in the event that the latch mechanism is released by actuation of the inside handle operated remote control mechanism while the blocking lever is in blocking position or in the event that the blocking lever is placed in blocking position while the vehicle door is in open position and the vehicle door is'then swung shut. This feature of construction is commonly referred'to as the kick-out means, that is, a means for automatically restoring the blocking lever to non-blocking position to prevent the vehicle door from being unintentionally or inadvertently locked. As shown in Fig. 1, the projection 41 extends toward the blocking lever 29 into substantially abutting relation thereto when the blocking lever 29 is in blocking position relative to the blocking portion 23a of the detent release lever arm 23. Upon downward movement of the detent 15, the end of the projection 41 will strike the blocking lever to the right of its pivot axis and will swing the same downwardly to a position in which the toggle spring will cross its dead center position and urge the blocking lever to its full unblocked position as governed by the stop 39. V

arenas? It will be noted that the projection 18 on the upper end of the detent 15 is provided with a curvedxsurface. 180 which, when the detent is in ratchet engaging position as shown in Fig. 1 is adapted to lie in close proximity to the surface of a ratchet abutment 14a. Rotation of the ratchet 14 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, which rotation will occur upon engagement of the rotary bolt 12 with a striker or keeper device as the vehicle door is moved from an open to a closed position, causes the abutment 14a to engage the detent projection 18 and thereby force the detent downwardly against the urging of the spring 26. The extension 41 on the detent 15 thus will engage the blocking lever 29 causing the same, if in blocking position, to be swung toward nonblocking position.

Fig. 4 of the drawings illustrates the cooperative rela tionship between the rotary toothed latch or bolt 12 and the keeper or striker device, generally designated 42, to hold the door in latched position. In general the keeper or striker 42 comprises a C-shaped structure having upper and lower body portions 43 and 44, respectively. The upper body portion is formed at its upper edge with two integral upstanding tooth-like projections 45 and 46 with which the teeth 12a of the latch bolt 12 mesh to hold the door in either final or safety locking position. When an adjacent pair of teeth 12a embrace and engage the tooth 45 the door is in safety locking position and when an adjacent pair of teeth 12a embrace the tooth 46 of the striker, the bolt is in final locking position.

The upper surface 47 of the lower body portion 44 forms a ramp engageable by a suitably contoured dovetail or abutment 48 fastened to the outer face of the case plate 10. A yieldable wedging means is carried on the underside of the upper body portion 43 of the striker device and engages the upper surface of the dovetail or abutment 48 to firmly hold the door against vibratory movement in a vertical plane. The wedging means in the present instance comprises a wedge block 49 controlled by a compression spring 50, the wedge block and spring being pression spring 50, the wedge block and spring being slidably retained within a recess 51 in the lower surface of the upper body portion 43 by means of a guide rod 52 fastened to the end walls of the recess 51. The spring 50 is mounted under initial compression and constantly urges the wedge outwardly or to the right as viewed in Fig. 4. During closing movement of the door, the the wedge block 49 is carried inwardly to some extent against the action of the spring, the wedge blocktending to tighten itself against the upper surface of the abutment 48 and hence maintaining the bolt 12 firmly in engagement with the tooth 46 on the striker thus minimizing the possible vibratory movement of the door in a vertical direction.

In the present embodiment there is provided a shield 57 covering the upper portion of the rotary bolt 12. One function of the shield is to prevent water and dirt from accumulating around the bearing 13a supporting the bolt shaft 13. The shield 57 also is believed to improve the appearance of the lock mechanism.

I claim:

1. In a door latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support comprising a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and having a flange extending from the inner edge thereof, a latch bolt mounted on said plate portion and having a series of tooth-like projections extending around the periphery thereof, a detent engaging latch device secured to said bolt to rotate therewith and having a corresponding series of tooth-like abutments, detent means mounted for slidable up and down movement on said plate portion beneath said latch device and engageable with any one of said abutments for holding said bolt in latching position, outer manually operable means for slidably actuating said detent means to disengage the same from said latch device and including a lever pivotally mounted on said plate portion at the outer edge thereof, said lever having a part extending toward said flange in opposing relation to a part of said detent means, said parts of said lever and detent means being separate to permit movement of the detent means independently of the lever, said lever having a downwardly extending arm, and inner manually operable member pivotally mounted on said plate portion beneath said detent means and having a blocking means shiftable in one direction into position to engage said lever and to block movement of said lever and thereby render the same inoperative to slidably actuate said detent means, and inner operating means for moving said inner manually operable member to shift said blocking means in said one direction.

2. In a door latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support comprising a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and having a flange extending from the inner edge thereof, a latch bolt mounted on said plate portion and having a series of tooth-like projections extending around the periphery thereof, a detent engaging latch device secured to said bolt to rotate therewith and having a corresponding series of tooth-like abutments, detent means slidably mounted on said plate portion beneath said latch device and engageable with any one of said abutments for holding said bolt in latching position, outer manually operable means for slidably actuating said detent means to disengage the same from said latch device and including an actuator mounted on said plate portion, said actuator having a part extending toward said flange in opposing relation to a part of said dete11tmea-ns,said parts of said actuator and detent means being separate to permit movement of the detent means independently of the actuator, said actuator having a downwardly extending blocking portion, an inner manually operable member pivotally mounted on said plate portion beneath said detent means and having a blocking means shiftable in one direction into position to engage said blocking portion to block movement of said actuator and thereby render the same inoperative to slidably actuate said detent means, and inner operating means for moving said inner manually operable member to shift said blocking means in said one direction.

3. In -a door latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support comprising a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and having a flange extending from the inner edge thereof, a latch bolt mounted on said plate portion and having a series of tooth-like projections extending around the periphery thereof, a detent engaging l-atch device secured to said bolt to rotate therewith and having a corresponding series of tooth-like abutments, detent means slidably mounted on said plate portion beneath said latch device, said detent means at the upper end thereof having a latch device engaging part engageable with any one of said abutments for holding said bolt in latching position, outer manually operable means for slidably actuating said detent means to disengage the same from said latch device and including an actuator mounted on said plate portion at the outer edge thereof, said actuator having a part extending toward said flange and in opposing relation to :a part of said detent means, said parts of said actuator and detent means being separate to permit movement of the detent means independently of the actuator, said actuator having a downwardly extending blocking portion, an inner manually operable member movably mounted on said plate portion beneath said detent means and having a blocking means shiftable in one direction into position .to engage said blocking portion to block movement of said actuator and thereby render the same inoperative to shift said detent means out of latch device engagement, inner operating means for moving said inner manually operable member to shift said blocking means in said one direction, said detent means at the lower end thereof having a part adapted to lie in abutting relation to said inner manually operable member, and an inner manually operable lever engageable with said detent 'means to shift the same in detent disengaging direction independently of said actuator to cause said last mentioned detent means part to abut said inner manually operable member and shift said blocking means in the opposite direction.

4. In a door latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support comprising :a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and having a flange extending from the inner edge thereof, a latch bolt mounted on said plate portion and having a series of tooth-like projections extending around the periphery thereof, a detent engaging latch device secured to said bolt to rotate therewith and having a corresponding series of toothlike abutments, detent means mounted beneath said latch device for slidable up and down movement on said plate portion, said detent means at the upper end thereof having a latch device engaging part engageable with any one of said abutments for holding said bolt in latching position, outer manually operable means for slidably actuating said detent means to disengage the same from said latch device and including an actuator mounted on said plate portion, said actuator having a part extending toward said flange in opposing relation to a part of said detent means, said parts of said actuator and detent means being separate to permit movement of the detent means independently of the actuator, said actuator having a downwardly extending blocking portion an inner manually operable member movably mounted on said plate portion beneath said detent means and having a blocking means shiftable in one direction into position to engage said blocking portion to block movement of said actuator and thereby render the same inoperative to shift said detent means out of latch device engagement, inner manually operable means for moving said inner manually operable member to shift said blocking means in said one direction, said detent means at the lower end thereof having a part adapted to lie in abutting relation to said inner manually operable member when said blocking means has been shifted in said one direction, and an inner manually operable lever engageable with said detent means to shift the same in detent disengaging direction independently of said actuator to cause said last mentioned detent means part to abut said inner manually operable member and shift said blocking means in the opposite direction. 7

5. In a door latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support comprising a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and having a flange extending from the inner edge thereof, a latch bolt mounted on said plate portion and having a series of tooth-dike projections extending around the periphery thereof, a detent engaging latch device secured to said bolt to rotate therewith and having a corresponding series of toothlike abutments, detent means slidably mounted on said plate portion beneath said latch device, said detent means at the upper end thereof having a latch device engaging part engageable with any one of said abutments for holding said bolt in latching position, outer manually operable means for slidably actuating said detent means to disengage the same from said latch device and including an actuator mounted on said plate portion at the outer edge thereof, said actuator having a part extending toward said flange in opposing relation to a part of said detent means, said parts of said actuator and detent means being separate to permit movement of the detent means independently of the actuator, said actuator having a downwardly extending blocking portion, an inner manually operable member movably mounted on said support and having a blocking means shiftable in one direction into position to engage said blocking portion to block movement of said actuator and thereby render the same inoperative to shift said detent means out of latch device engagement, inner operating means for moving said inner manually operable member to shift said blocking means in said one direction, said detent means at the other end thereof having a part adapted to lie in abutting relation to said inner manually operable member, said latch device upon rotation thereof by engagement with a striker device as the door is moved from an open to a closed position being adapted to abut said latch device engaging part of the detent means thereby to shift said detent means to cause said part at the lower end thereof to abut said inner manually operable member and shift said blocking means in the opposite direction.

6. In a door latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support comprising a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and having a flange extending from the inner edge thereof, a latch bolt mounted on said plate portion and having a series of tooth-like projections extending around the periphery thereof, a detent engaging latch device secured to said bolt to rotate therewith and having a corresponding series of tooth-like abutments, detent means mounted for slidable up and down movement on said plate portion beneath said 'latch device, said detent means at the upper end thereof having a latch device engaging part engageable with any one of said abutments for holding said bolt in latching position, outer manually operable means for slidably actuating said detent means to disengage the same from said latch device and including an actuator mounted on said plate portion at the outer edge thereof, said actuator having a part extending towards said flange in opposing relation to a part of said detent means, said parts of said actuator and detent means being separate to permit movement of the detent means independently of the actuator, said actuator having a downwardly extending blocking portion, an inner manually operable member movably mounted on said plate portion beneath said detent means and having a blocking means shiftable in one direction into position to engage said blocking portion to block movement of said actuator and thereby render the same inoperative to shift said detent means out of latch device engagement, inner manually operable means for moving said inner manually operable member to shift said blocking means in said one direction, said detent means at the lower end thereof having a part adapted to lie in abutting relation to said inner manually operable member when said blocking means has been shifted in said one direction, said latch device upon rotation thereof by engagement with a striker device as the door is moved from an open to a closed position being adapted to abut said llatch device engaging part of the detent means thereby to shift said detent means to cause said part at the lower end thereof to abut said inner manually operable member and shift said blocking means in the opposite direction.

References Cited at the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

